By what age can children discriminate their own names from similar-sounding words?

By about four and a half months, infants begin to show the capability to recognize their own names amidst similar-sounding words. This ability reflects their burgeoning auditory discrimination skills, which allow them to differentiate between sounds and understand that specific phonetic patterns relate to themselves. Infants display this recognition when they respond to their names by turning their heads or showing other signs of recognition, indicating an important milestone in their cognitive and social development.

At around this age, they are also exposed to language in ways that enhance their ability to connect sounds with meaning, setting the foundation for further language acquisition as they grow. This skill is a critical part of their developmental journey, as it fosters social interactions and connections with caregivers and their environment.